The Soldier's Wife
by I hart Booth
Summary: This was inspired by a news report I heard this morning. It was a oneshot, but could be more if desired. futurefic about BB
1. The Wait is Over

_**Keep reading, even if the first chapter breaks your heart, I promise by the third it will be worth it.**_

_**A/N: I'm not really sure how Marshals do this so I hope you'll forgive any inaccuracies**_

"Mrs. Booth?"

"It's Dr. Brennan but Seeley Booth is my husband." Brennan opened the door a little wider and eyed the men in her hallway wearily.

"I'm Marshal Scott and this is Deputy Davidson. May we come in?"

Brennan swept her gaze over them once more before giving a curt nod and widening the opening for them to enter the apartment. She didn't even think to check the hallway for the person she'd actually been waiting for, the babysitter.

"Mommy!" A 2-year-old boy, the spitting image of his older brother except for bright blue eyes, came barreling out of his bedroom, blonde curls flopping in the breeze. Mathew didn't even notice the strangers settling into the couch as he hugged his mother's legs. Dressed in a blue and red striped Elmo shirt and pull-up training underwear, he looked up at her, stretching his little arms as high as they would go.

"Shoe! Shoe!" He yelped, followed by a string of unintelligible babbling Brennan leaned over and lifted the boy to her hip, taking the Velcro shoe from his hand.

"What is this about?" She asked, keeping her voice steady despite the growing dread in her stomach. The men glanced nervously at the ground, the wall and Brennan's face. Her stomach lurched, afraid she already knew what they were there to say.

"Maybe you want to put him in his room Mrs…Dr. Brennan."

Brennan glanced at Mathew who had suddenly produced a Tonka Truck and was studying it carefully.

"No. If it's about Booth then he can stay. He's his son." She sat down across from them in a chair and Mathew straddled her lap, still mumbling nonsense to himself.

The Marshal cleared his throat.

"Dr. Brennan, I'm afraid we have…um, some bad news…it seems…"

He fumbled over his words and Brennan grew impatient. She didn't need it broken to her softly, she just needed to know for sure. His letters had stopped two weeks ago.

"Just say it please." She said evenly.

The men were surprised by her strength, her voice didn't even waver. Of course, they couldn't see that in order to keep her voice steady Brennan was squeezing her nails into the palms of her hands.

"Ma'am…Captain Seeley Booth was killed three weeks ago by a roadside IED."

Brennan blinked twice as silence descended. She stared straight ahead at a clock on the far wall. A clock that seemed to have stopped.

"Get out." She whispered, the men glanced at each other , unsure of what to do.

"Get out!" She screamed suddenly, suprising Mathew who immediately started to cry. Brennan hugged her son to her and buried her face in his hair, her chest was closing in on itself.

Faintly in the back of her mind she heard. "We're very sorry for your loss." And then the sound of metal on the wooden table in front of her followed by the click of the front door closing.

Her breathing became sporadic and labored as she held back sobs, beat them down into her lungs. Mathew had calmed down and squirmed, uncomfortable in the tight hold his mother had on him. After a few seconds she let him slide off her lap.

"Shoe! Shoe!" He screamed, running with heavy footsteps back to his room.

Brennan stared ahead of her at a medal lying peacefully on the coffee table. It held a gold American Eagle engraving enclosed in a ring of blue. Attached to it was a ribbon with a thick stripe of white down the middle, a thin stripe of blue on both sides and a stripe of red on either side of those. On the ring around the eagle were the words 'For Distinguished Service'. Brennan reached forward to pick it up.

It wasn't until her slender fingers touched the cold metal and she felt all that was left of him sliding across her skin that she fell apart.

The tears finally started falling, the sobs racked her body with such force she thought they might never stop. Her chest constricted and her lungs found it hard to draw in air. Her heart slammed against her chest, pounding itself into oblivion. Her head started to ache and she trembled all over. Maybe it was all over.

She wrapped her fingers around the medal and brought it to her chest.

She told herself to stop crying. She needed to compose herself, she needed to be strong. Brennan ordered the tears to stop flowing and the sobs to stop choking her. Slowly, they did.

She needed to be strong. For herself. For Mathew. Brennan sucked in her breath as one of her hands found it's way to her noticeably swollen belly. For the baby Booth would never get the chance to meet.

_Put your heart in a box Brennan. They need you._

She looked up at a picture on the wall. Booth had his arm around Brennan's shoulder while Mathew sat on his bicep, little fists raised high in triumph after attending one of Parker's football games. She realized the smile in that picture would never grace her lips again.

_I am Temperance Brennan. I am a Forensic Anthropologist at the Jeffersonian Institute. I am a mother. My heart is in a locked box. Booth is gone. He left me here to fend for myself. He took the key to the box with him._

Brennan took a deep breath. She was always telling everyone how she could take care of herself.

It was time to prove it.

She clenched Booth's medal in her hand and stood, heading toward Mathew's room to finish dressing him so she could get ready to go.

She was due at the lab in an hour.

_**I'm sure there will be people who think Brennan was too cold, but I figure after hearing tragic news like this, she would be shocked and horrified, yes. But then the scientist, the wounded woman in her would take over and shut down her emotions. I figure it's the only way she would be able to function. R&R**_


	2. Keeping it Together

**_Just one more chap to go, thanks to all you brave souls who have been reading, I promise it will be worth your while after you read the next chap. _**

Brennan took a moment to breathe deep before heading inside the lab. The air was thick and difficult to pull into her lungs, but she forced herself to do so.

She knew she should have stayed home, no one would have objected. But when she'd burst into tears over Mathew's spilled Orange Juice, she knew there was no way she could do that. Her routine was the only thing that would get her through this.

The only way she would survive.

Once inside the lab Brennan wrapped her arms around herself, goosebumps tightened her skin, the lab seemed cooler than usual.

After dropping her bag off in her office and grabbing her lab coat, which was now nearly impossible to button over her enlarged stomach, Brennan set off to find Cam.

She found her outside one of the autopsy labs talking to Angela.

"Hey Sweetie!" Angela said brightly when she spotted her friend approaching.

Brennan made her best attempt at a smile, which came off more like she was smoothing her lipstick, and turned immediatly to Cam.

"Cam I need to take this afternoon off."

Cam stuck her hands in her pockets and furrowed her brows. "Why?"

"I have...I have an appointment." Brennan responded, hoping not to have to go into details. She really didn't want to talk about this. Of course, she should have known that was not an option with Angela not even an arms length away.

"An appointment? Sweetie you just went to the doctor last week. Is everything okay? Is Matty okay?" Angela asked worriedly, already on edge from the strange greeting Brennan had just given her.

"Yes, he's fine. I'm fine. I just have an appointment."

"What...what kind of appointment?"

"I have to...pick out a casket." Brennan stated calmly, as she made a point to avoid eye contact and look past both women at the wall.

"A casket? Why would you need a..." Angela began. Then, noting Brennan's slightly disheveled condition and faint red circles around her eyes, realization hit.

"Oh God." She whispered, her face betraying the tears already on the way. "Brennan...no...not Boo..."

"The US Marshals came to the apartment this morning." Brennan cut her off, afraid hearing his name would shatter what little control she had over herself.

"Oh Bren." Angela took a step forward to hug her but Brennan stepped back, shaking her head just slightly.

"I'm fine Angela. Now, Cam, is it alright if I..."

"Of course Dr. Brennan. I mean, you can take the whole day if you'd like. The rest of the week..."

"Thank you but that won't be necassary Dr. Saroyan. I'll go...on my appointment and I'll make up the time I miss this evening." Brennan interrupted cooley.

"But Dr. Brennan..."

"You can watch Matty for me can't you Ange?" Brennan ignored Cam's protest and turned to her best friend.

"Bren you really should..." Angela tried to reason with her. She felt like her own heart was breaking, she couldn't imagine the agony her best friend was going through. But then, she didn't really need to. It was written plainly in those tortured blue eyes. While Brennan's face and posture remained neutral, the pain in her eyes gave her away.

"No. Angela," Brennan sighed, rubbing one hand absently over her stomach, "I need my routine, okay? I need to work."

Angela caught the desperate undertone in the request and simply nodded, dabbing her eyes with the sleeve of her lab coat.

"Of course I'll watch him."

"Thank you." Brennan took another deep breath and glanced around the lab. "Has Agent Stevens come by? Do we have a case?"

Angela answered without thinking. "Yea, but you remember what Booth said about you working cases in your third tri..." She stopped and Brennan whirled around on her.

"Yes. Thank you Angela, I remember what he said." Brennan said sharply.

_I remember every word he ever said._

Without another word she turned and moved as fast as she could to her office, slamming the door behind her and causing the drawn blinds to rattle against the window.

_I'll always be here Bones._

_I'll be back for you Temperance._

Brennan shook her head but his voice wouldn't leave.

_I love you Bones, I'll always love you._

"Liar." Brennan shivered at the harsh whisper and almost took it back. Almost.

Angela chased her to her office, but the door was locked by the time she got there.

"Brennan?" She knocked softly, "Brennan open up. Please Sweetie let me come in."

But the doorknob didn't move and quiet sobs were the only answers to Angela's pleas.

**_I too am an angst junkie, as you can tell, but I am also a fluff junkie..._**


	3. Broken heart mended

**_Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me, you won't regret it, i promise._**

**---3 Weeks Later---**

Brennan and the squints left the courthouse, grins everywhere.

"I knew we'd nail that S.O.B." Hodgins nodded as if he'd been saying it all along, but all of them had had their doubts throughout this case.

"Oh! Zach you were fabulous on the stand. Kept your cool, weren't too squinty sounding. I'm so proud of you Sweetie!" Angela snatched Zach into a tight hug and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks Angela." He said, blushing profusely.

Brennan smiled and it was pretty close to a real smile, though it was obvious to anyone who knew her that the spark was gone from her eyes.

Grasping at some normalcy, she suddenly turned around to face the rest, who were unable to keep up with her brisk pace.

"Wong Fu's?"

They all stopped and looked at her, Hodgins and Angela exchanged glances. It had been rare in the past month for Brennan to go anywhere other than her lab and her apartment. She had, quite literally, shut herself off from the world.

Angela smiled, glad she seemed to be trying to step back into it.

"What?" Brennan frowned at their strange looks and pushed down the impending guilt creeping up her chest. She hadn't been to Wong Fu's, hadn't gone to a movie or left the apartment for any reason in the past weeks. Angela had brought groceries and could often be found in Brennan's apartment when the silence became too much for her to bear.

She knew it was worrying her friends…but she was afraid. Afraid to enjoy life without him, afraid she wouldn't be able to.

"Why are you looking at me like that? We always go to Wong Fu's after we win a case."

Angela stepped forward and out of the arm Hodgins had wrapped around her waist.

"You're right Sweetie. Meet you there?"

Brennan nodded, glad she still fit behind the wheel of her car. "I just have to drop by the babysitters and pick up Matty."

-------------------------------

"Foo's Foo's Foo's!!" Mathew chanted, bouncing like a 'fwoggy', his left arm drawn up high over his head in Brennan's hand as she led him inside the restaurant.

Once inside, Brennan was relieved to find only the squints and one other couple were in the restaurant. She didn't think she could handle a crowd.

At the sound of the dinging bell Sid came from the back of the restaurant.

"Hi Sid!" Mathew wrenched his hand out of Brennan's grip and took off through the restaurant toward Sid, who scooped him up and walked back toward the squints.

"How are you Matty?" He asked, bouncing the child just enough to elicit a squeal of delight.

"Fine thans." He wriggled out of Sid's arms and went over to booth where he slid in beside Angela.

"Hey," Sid approached Brennan who had spaced out near the door. "How're you holding up?"

She shrugged, a sad smile on her lips.

"I'll be okay." She said softly. Aside from Angela, Sid had been her saving grace these last few weeks. He had been at her place constantly, helping with Matty, with food or housework. She could never thank him enough.

"Yeah, you will be bone lady. You're tough." He smiled reassuringly and led her to the Booth. She sat facing Matty, next to Zach, looking away from the door.

"I'll be right back with your food guys."

They thanked him and resumed talking, including Matty who chattered constantly, saying things that were mostly garbled gibberish that Hodgins and Angela found hilarious and Zach kept straining to understand.

"I think he just said Subdural Hematoma!" He exclaimed over a plate of individual-sized pizza.

"Yeah Zach," Hodgins clapped him on the back, nodding in mock agreement. "Sure."

Brennan was content to watch their conversation take place and try to keep Matty from getting his macaroni and cheese everywhere.

Just when the squints were in a fit of laughter over whatever it was Mathew had just attempted to say, he said something clear as a bell.

"Daddy!"

Angela caught her laughter in a gasp and threw her eyes over at Brennan, who'd cracked a smile at her son's nonsense but it had now completely disappeared.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Mathew started bouncing in his chair, attempting to scoot out of the booth.

Brennan dropped her eyes to the tablecloth and Angela reached for Matty.

"Shhh. Matty..." Angela attempted to quiet the boy, but to no avail. Mathew slipped from the booth and took off, running past Brennan and toward the door.

Angela's eyes followed him and then grew wide, as did Hodgins' who could see what she could from where he sat next to her.

"Oh. My. God." Angela put a hand over her mouth while reaching the other one across the table to take Brennan's.

"Sweetie…look!"

Brennan raised her eyes and saw her friends staring past her, all with a similar shocked expression on their faces.

"What?" Brennan twisted around in her chair and her eyes landed on the door. Or rather…the man standing in the door, ruffling Mathew's curly blonde hair as the child clung to his pant leg his thumb firmly in his mouth.

Brennan stood slowly, mouth hanging slightly agape with shock.

Taking methodic, calculated steps, Brennan approached the man. Her eyes roamed over him as she moved closer, trying to be sure he was who she thought he was. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, his left arm in a sling, his hair disheveled.

Then she looked into his face. Those brown eyes were glassy, betraying longing and amazement, and though she didn't know it, hers looked exactly the same.

Booth watched as she approached, confusion, shock, longing and apprehension crossing her face in turn. As she got closer her eyes got shinier with standing tears and his fingers itched to touch her, hold her like he'd been waiting to do for so long. Her hair was longer and she was carrying, rather gracefully, the weight of another human being growing inside her. The love that washed over him at that moment made his heart want to swell and burst.

Brennan came to a stop directly in front of him, still staring into his face, unable to bring herself to believe he was standing there. Alive.

She held her breath, his eyes held the same loving affection she remembered…but it couldn't be. Could it?

Slowly, she raised one trembling hand and hesitated before touching his face, afraid it would pass right through and this would be revealed to be a dream like so many times before.

Ever so lightly her fingertips brushed his cheek and she gasped. It was there. He was there. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the roughness of his unshaven face. She blinked back the tears and her lungs burned, she realized she hadn't breathed in a few moments and made a mental note to do so.

Booth shut his eye for a fraction of a second, he could feel herskin. He'd waited so long and now he was here. Reaching up, he took hold of her wrist with his good hand and brought her fingertips to his lips, kissing them tenderly.

Brennan gasped and pulled her hand back to cover her mouth, she could feel the tears in her eyes, the sobs in her chest and she didn't want to let them out.

Booth watched the emotions playing in her eyes and knew what she was doing. Without a seconds hesitation he stepped into her and wrapped his good arm around her back, pulling her close.

"Let it go Temperance." He said, barely above a whisper, his own voice tight with tears.

Brennan hesitated and then nodded, melting into him, she finally allowed the tears to drop. Her shoulders trembled and shook and Booth held her only tighter, knowing she probably had not allowed herself to cry in front of anyone since the Marshals told her he was dead.

He was still angry about that, but now wasn't the time.

Brennan suddenly looked up into his face and saw the tear tracks on his cheeks. Her eyes widened as if seeing him for the first time and she quickly reached up, pulling his face down to meet hers in a desperate kiss, passion overflowing.

Booth responded immediately, pulling her as close as he could get her and hardly aware of the pressure doing so was putting on his still healing injuries, he only knew her. Her lips on his, her body, her skin. He couldn't believe this was happening. He closed his eyes and willed this moment to never end.

The kiss tasted of relief and joy and salt from the constant stream of tears on their cheeks. They couldn't speak and didn't know how long they'd been standing there, but made no attempt to move when they left off kissing and simply embraced like they thought the world would end when they let go.

Angela sat beside Jack, Matty settled on her lap as they, along with Sid and Zach, watched their friends get wrapped up in each other. Two lost souls finally found.

**_You didn't think I could actually kill him did you? One more chapter to wrap this up. _**


	4. Heal my Wounds

**_Thank you to everyone who's still reading and I'm glad you enjoyed the last chap. Here is the last chap. _**

Brennan pulled away slightly and put her hands on either side of his face, his good arm resting on her side.

"I can't believe it's you. I can't believe you're here." She shook her head and leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you." They whispered in unison, causing a smile to break out on their lips. The first real smile either of them had shown in far too long.

Their foreheads resting against each other, Booth spoke softly.

"God you're beautiful Temperance. More so than I remembered."

Brennan smiled, her eyes still closed.

"I weigh fifty pounds more now than I did when you left, I find that highly unlikely."

"You _are_ beautiful Bones and I couldn't be happier about your weight gain and the reason behind it."

She felt him stand erect and opened her eyes; he was staring down at her protruding abdomen.

Reaching for his hand, she smiled.

"I'm seven months along."

Booth nodded as she placed his palm just above her bellybutton.

"I know, I was counting the days, hoping I'd be back in time." Booth blinked hard and smiled down at Brennan's stomach and his child inside her.

After a few moments he became aware of her mood changing and looked up, amazed at how in tune he felt with her, even after all this time.

"What's wrong babe?"

Bennan shrugged and played with his fingers absently.

"I missed you, that's all. I was so scared. I thought…" She couldn't finish and Booth brought a calming finger to her lips.

"Shhh. I know." He swallowed and pulled her toward him again, nodding, "Believe me I know. And I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. Just…why did they do that? Why did they tell me I'd lost you?" A ghost of the sinking feeling she'd been wrapped in for the past few weeks ran over her skin and the tears almost started anew.

Booth sighed.

"Let's go say 'hi' to the squints. I'll tell you all at once."

Brennan frowned as Booth started to pull away, lacing the fingers of his good hand with one of hers.

"You don't have to Booth. If you'd rather just tell me, I'm sure they'lll understand, and I can tell the others later if you want me to." She remembered what he'd told her about coming back from war, that adults always want you to relive it. She didn't want Booth to feel that.

"No, it's okay. They're family." He said simply. They started toward their little mismatched clan, all of whom stood to welcome him, goofy grins plastered on their faces.

Brennan, however, was focused on the slight limp Booth had and the way he was holding back a wince of pain with every movement. She frowned at him and stopped to say something.

Booth felt her watching him and knew she was now coming to realize the extent of his injuries. He looked at her and shook his head. That was one thing he didn't really want to recount right then.

Angela couldn't hold herself back any longer. She handed Mathew to Jack and ran at Booth, shaking her head giving him as tight a hug as she could without hurting him. "You're home." She stepped back, grinning and wiping tears from her cheeks. "You've really got to teach me this 'coming back from the dead' trick Agent Hot Stuff."

Booth laughed. "Ah yes, Angela, always there with the appropriate comments." Angela shrugged and laughed and Booth turned to Hodgins and Zack, giving both of them quick hugs and exchanging a few friendly jibes.

Angela went to stand next to her friend and watched the men interact, Sid having joined the little welcoming party.

"He kept his promise Sweetie." Angela nudged Brennan lightly in the arm and felt her body get lighter at the smile showing on Brennan's face. A smile she thought she'd never see again.

"Yes, he did Angela." Brennan smiled, bending over to pick up Mathew who was stumbling sleepily around the active adults.

Mathew laid his head on his mother's shoulder and sighed contentedly. Turning her face to whisper in his ear, but keeping her eyes trained on Booth, Brennan spoke to her son.

"Your father always keeps his promises. Remember that Matty. Always."

Booth's eyes slid over to Brennan, she held a sleeping Mathew and was looking pretty tired herself.

_I guess I better get this over with._

"Guys, lets, um, sit down okay?"

The group went back over to the table, sliding into their original seats with the exception of Brennan who sat next to Booth instead of next to Zach so she could be on the outside and Sid who pulled up a chair on the end.

All were quiet as they waited for Booth to begin his explanation. Only he didn't right away. At first he simply stared at Mathew, the boy's small body sprawled across Brennan as she held him awkwardly on her now diminished lap. He reached over to stroke the boys' blonde hair.

Sensing what Booth wanted, Brennan turned toward him.

"He can sit on your lap. Hold out your arm."

She sat on Booth's right side so she turned Mathew to face away from her and laid him in Booth's lap, his small head resting in the crook of his father's uninjured arm, Brennan helping to support it.

Booth smiled down at Mathew and then at his wife. "Thank you."

Brennan only nodded and Booth recognized the face she now wore.

She was waiting.

Booth took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"First, let me say I'm sorry. To all of you." He let his eyes go to each of his friends, one of his hands fiddled absently with Mathew's soft chubby fingers.

"Booth it wasn't your…"

"Maybe not Angela, but…I still feel responsible. I caused you pain, and I'm sorry for that. But it was all a mistake."

"Obviously." Zach said, before anyone could stop him. Immediately he moved his eyes to the table, receiving an old familiar glare from Booth. A glare he'd actually kind of missed.

"How did it happen Booth?" Brennan stared wide-eyed at him, wanting to hold his hand but with it wrapped around Mathew she was unable to, so she rested it on his knee.

"There was a bomb."

"An IED?"

"Yeah. I and three others were on our way back inside the safe zone after completing a…mission that required us to separate from our infantry. We were with another troop, trying to save a trip. The bomb went off, everything went black. After that I only remember sporadic pieces, voices, faces…but nothing concrete. Turns out I was seated furthest from the bomb and thrown from the vehicle. My dog tags were caught on something and ripped off my neck, making it nearly impossible to identify me when I got to the makeshift medical center in the field. Our superior didn't know we were coming back already so he had no reason to be looking for us and the medics were overrun with wounded."

Brennan glanced at the back of Booth's neck, highly visible with his short hair and t-shirt. Sure enough there was a small scar along it indicating where the chain had been ripped from his neck.

"I don't know how I got there, clean up crew must have found me and realized I was alive…unlike all the others."

"Clean up crew? Like…for garbage?" Angela ventured.

Booth flicked his eyes toward her, dark with experiences of things no one should know.

"No. Bodies."

Angela sat back from the table and clasped hand with Hodgins.

"I'm sorry Booth."

He shook his head. "It's fine. So…I guess they took me to the medics and my injuries were serious enough that I was flown out to France on the next available chopper. Four surgeries and a couple weeks recovery later…here I am. I was out for most of it, by the time any of my own found out I was alive, I'd been discharged and was on my way here. I'm sure they would have called you to let you know if I hadn't been one step ahead of them." He smiled slightly and gave a small shrug.

The table sat in shock, unsure of what to say next. Angela looked like she was about to cry, Hodgins frowned deeply and stared at his placemat, Zach shifted constantly in his seat as if he was sitting on a pinecone and kept darting his eyes to different areas of the restaurant. Sid studied the floor.

Booth cleared his throat, disturbing the delicate silence and looked intently at Mathew, trying to etch his small child's sleeping face into his brain. The innocence that emanated from the boy was nearly overwhelming and Booth wanted to soak it up.

Suddenly Brennan gave Booth's knee a slight squeeze and stood.

"I um…I have to go to the bathroom." She announced, before heading off toward the restroom, a slight waddle in her step.

Booth watched her go and when she was out of sight turned to the squints.

"How did she take it?"

Angela looked puzzled. "Take what?"

"My um…my death." He said morbidly.

"Oh…well you know her Booth." Angela shrugged and glanced at Sid. "She tried to be strong. For Matty. For herself. She wouldn't let anyone see her cry, wouldn't take time off. But…it hit her hard, she didn't know what to do without you. She wouldn't leave the house except to go to the lab." She took a deep breath. "She was a mess."

Booth nodded and looked down at the table, guilt creeping into his heart, he hated that she'd gone through this. That she'd believed she was all alone again.

"But Booth," Angela reached across the table and touched his arm, forcing him to look up at her, "you're home now. She's not alone and you, the both of you, are going to be okay."

Booth nodded at her. "You think?" His voice sounded surer of himself than he felt.

"Booth sweetie, you and Bren are the strongest, most stubborn people I know. If anyone can get through this, you guys can. You have each other, you have Matty along with a bun in the oven and you have us. You're going to be fine." She squeezed his arm to punctuate her point.

And he believed her.

Just then Brennan emerged from the bathroom and even from across the room he could see she'd been crying. He gestured to Zach, who took Mathew off his lap and he rose, limping across the room to meet her.

"Bones, you've been crying."

Brennan nodded. "You've been dead." She stated bluntly, tears still in her voice.

"Hey," He reached up and touched her cheek, "I'm not dead. I'm right here. I'm right here with you and I'm not going anywhere." He bent to kiss her. "No more tears okay?"

Brennan gave him a half smile.

"Well I'm not sure I can promise that, I am hormonal you know."

Booth chuckled and took her hand. "Why don't we head home, hmm?"

Brennan nodded, they collected Mathew and bid farewell to the squints and Sid.

-----------------------------------

That night Booth lay in bed with Brennan by his side, Mathew snuggled up between them.

He knew it would be a long road to recovery for all of them, but somehow, telling the others what had happened seemed to lighten the invisible load on his shoulders. He knew Angela was right, he'd be okay. They all would.

Booth closed his eyes and smiled in the darkness. He had everything he needed to help heal his wounds, both inside and out, right there in bed with him.

His Bones, his child with another on the way…his life returning to normal.

THE END

**_Well, that's it. Thank you so much everyone, and I am quite sure there were inaccuricies in this chap since I've never even known anyone who was remotly affiliated with the army, but i hope it wasn't so far off track you couldn't enjoy it. R&R!! _**


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